Parliament of British Columbia

The Parliament of British Columbia is the legislative branch of Her Majesty's Government for the Dominion of British Columbia, seated in the Parliament Buildings in Rattenbury Park, Victoria.

The body consists of the British Columbian monarch, represented by a viceroy, the Governor General; an upper house — the Council of Chiefs; and a lower house — the House of Commons. Each element has its own officers and organization. The Council of Chiefs is comprised of the chiefs of the 31 Tribal Governments, as elected by the members of each tribe, while the 85 members of the House of Commons — called Members of Parliament (MPs)—are directly elected by eligible voters, with each MP representing a single electoral district, commonly referred to as a riding.

By constitutional convention, the House of Commons is the dominant branch of parliament, the Council of Chiefs and Crown rarely opposing its will. The Council of Chiefs reviews legislation from a non-partisan, First Nations standpoint and the monarch or viceroy provides the necessary Royal Assent to make bills into law. The Governor General also summons Parliament, while either the viceroy or monarch can prorogue or dissolve parliament, the latter in order to call a general election. Either will read the Throne Speech. The current Parliament, summoned by Governor General Tyee Xweliqweltel Point on 5 June 2013, is the 39th since the establishment of the Dominion of BC in 1875.